Sorry.....my other University is in a bit of controversy....and that has preoccupied me, and my colleagues.  I am associated with the largest state, public, not-for-profit University in the world, with 94,000 students spanning the globe.....and I am proud to serve those that seek to change their lives through education. But, I also must mention that I am equally proud to be a student of UMS, an institution of study that is the frontier of metaphysical education and a mainstay of the value of such courses of study.

 Hi all:

      First, a Warm Welcome Faxxxxxxxy......ha....I just made you "INXS"....my apologies.

 In re the thread:

Here is the story of the Tygre (Tiger) and the White Bull, Brown Bull and Black Bull:

The Tygre and the aforementioned bulls all lived in the forest together but the tygre and the bulls were far from friends. The truth of the matter was that the tygre had a craving to consume the bulls, especially when foodstuffs were not plentiful. One particularly desparate year the tygre and the bulls were very hungry. The bulls would graze and always feel safe from the tygre because they stayed together and together they could defeat the tygre. Even when the bulls separated one was always watched over by another and all would come running at a call for help.

But, the tygre was not only hungry but cleverly hungry. The tygre watched the bulls one day. He saw that the black bull had gone off to graze all by himself. He saw that the white bull and the brown bull were looking out for the black bull as he grazed. The tygre observed this happen day after day. One of those days, the tygre approached the white bull and the brown bull. He said to them "times are difficult and food is precious".  "If we were to have one less mouth that feeds there would be more for you". Indeed, the bulls agreed with this principle but couldn't fathom how this might occur. The tygre said "it is so easy to have it happen." "Should you hear the black bull cry out for help just ignore his plea". The white bull and brown bull  thought this over and reluctantly agreed to ignore the cry of the black bull should they hear it. Sometime later as the black bull was grazing, the white bull and the brown bull heard  pleas for help. They turned away so they could no longer hear, Thus, they did not hear the screams of the black bull as the tygre devoured him.

Tiimes became harsher still. And now the white bull and the brown bull were very wary. They did not like what they had done and not done; and each harbored a resentment, not only of each other, but of themselves. Yet, they pledged allegiance to each other. One day the brown bull was grazing and the white bull watching. The tygre approached the white bull and said "you and I understand that we need to eat." "If you were to just turn your head and close your ears for a moment, all the grazing land would be yours!" "You would not feel the pangs of hunger again." The white bull thought this over and agreed to turn away and not listen. The tygre quickly swooped down to the plain and devoured the brown bull, despite the brown bull's pleas for help.

Now the white bull had all of the plain to graze! The white bull need not feel the pangs of hunger. The white bull need not want. A few days passed.

The white bull was grazing, when suddenly the tygre appeared. "You know why I am here" said the tygre.

"Yes" said the white bull, and he also asked "may I go to the top of the hill for a moment?" Knowing there was no escape for the white bull, the tygre allowed the white bull to do so.

The white bull trudged up the hill. He bellowed out for all to hear:

"I DID NOT DIE TODAY, I DIED THE DAY THE BLACK BULL DIED!"

 C'est Fini!

That is the story, and you all may take away any lesson or lessons you want from it.

 Peaches and Herb,

Psychomarty and felines that are far removed from tigers but eat just as much, namely, Luckylee and Poppyhead

Disclaimer-----this story is a fable which i believe to be of Arabic origin, perhaps Northern Africa though I truly do not know. I have recounted from memory of it as told by a shipwreaked sailor who had walked to the coast of Sudan. There are probably many versions of this story, and I do not claim that mine is authentic, authoritative, or officlal. If my precise telling jibes with any other version, the credit for that goes to my memory of the words of an excellent story teller.

P.S. It is not that difficult to wreck a boat and walk to the coast of Sudan. The Red Sea is not all that deep in many places. Though, from the shore, looking out, it appears that one is walking on water, just as someone else may have a few many mystical years ago.

You may find the link below of interest:

‘The Devil – Satan – Saturn’

With love - Aquarius

Dear Danjummai, friend and brother in spirit. My sympathies are with you during this time of loss and my Highest Self prompts me to send you the following from your mother in the world of spirit:

A Message Of Hope
To the ones I love and who love me:
‘When I am gone, release me; let me go.
You and I, we both have many things to see and do.
Do not tie yourself to me in tears.
I gave to you my love and you can only guess
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you have shown,
But, for now it’s time for me to travel on – alone.

So, grieve a while, if grieve you must.
But not for me, only for yourself and
For the hole my passing has left in your life.
Then let your grief be comforted by trust,
And remember that it is only for a while that part we must.
Bless the memories within your heart,
And know that no love is ever lost.
Life is eternal – it goes on and on,
Not just for you and for me, but for us all.

You and I can now come closer than we have ever been;
I shall never be further away from you than a thought.
If you need me, call and I’ll be near.
Although you can neither see nor touch me,
Know that I am there.
And when you listen inside your own heart,
You are sure to feel my love too, soft and clear.

And then, one fine day –
When you must come this way –
Alone – I shall be there to greet you,
With a smile I shall welcome you home.’

Fr. Pat Lennon
Edited by Aquarius

From ‘Comfort for the Bereaved’

With love and light,
Aquarius

........................and I must say that this is one of the books that I have been waiting for all my life!

Will you autograph a copy for me?

It is a bit ironic that the idea of acquiring a book came up. I am at the point of a "must move" since after 12 years I can no longer afford the yearly increase in rent. Though I try to go to a house, I cannot meet the down payment criteria that is required for many reasons. Thus, I will probably go into another rental. For some, this is not a big problem. For me, this is a majpr undertaking. The plain and simple truth is that EVEN AFTER ruthlessly culling the collection and donating 2000 books, I STILL have close to 7000 books. Moving these many books seems easy....but really is a logistical nightmare.

But, then, I am reminded of when I moved 150000 books to Elkridge; and thus had more books than the local branch of our public library.

My young acquaintances tell me to be rid of them....I can see and read on the internet virtually anything I want.....but they simply do not understand. As your work, Danju, would have great meaninig to me, beyond the format that it is in (and I allude to friendship over the course of time).

 I cannot capture the same feelings that I had if I were to view "Go Dog Go" on a screen versus holding the actual book that my erstwhile little girl would read, line by line, perfectly, even though she was two and really had no idea of the words on the page. What she cleverly did is mimic how I and Isis read it to her and recalled it line by line word for word. The very touch of the book brings the time back from the misty past to the present day reality. But, of course, as "Go Dog Go" goes back on a shelf the vibrancy fades.....only to be exprienced again and again and again. There is not a Kindle or an iPad/Phone or any other device that can duplicate this!! My little girls fingers touched this book and pointed to the words.....and I touch it.....and then  WE ARE ONE!

In the same train of thought, I recall vividly some of your dreams, Danj, and I do indeed see that some were prophetic. I hope that you are safe, and hope even moreso, that Nigeria can weather the storm of religious zealotry that seems now to engulf us all.

Peace Profound,

Marty, Luckylee, Poppyhead (and they, the cats, because of their extreme age, have also heard "Go Dog Go" as rendered by Isis and Didi)

Hi Dannie: 

You (and all) are welcome here....you shall have books to read, cats on the lap to pet, hospitality, and sweet tea flavored with the finest cardamom. And, I shall revel in the company of those that do not think the concept of love for one's fellow men and women is something to be shunned; thought of as weak and antiquated.

Such reminds me of the attempts at utopian communities......and how they never really work.....as "we" (meaning all of us), are who we are....human...and we have all the good that this endows us with, but also all the bad that goes with it. Everyone is familiar with the yin/yang symbol. But how many truly contemplate it's meaning? Is there a balance? Or is it as I see......one side in constant battle, constant victory, constant defeat over the other??

Live and Breath Peace,

Marty, Luckylee, Poppyhead (improved since I have become a REIKI practitioner and applied new found knowledge...but still profoundly ill)